Even in the increasingly unlikely event of an impact from YR4, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest appear to be safe from impact. Computer models showed areas of South America, Africa and southeast Asia would have the highest risk in the event of an impact, based on what astronomers know about the asteroid’s orbit.

A NASA asteroid tracker explains how scientists are calculating the risk to Earth from asteroid 2024 YR4. Archaeologists are piecing together the world’s oldest known rune stone. It could shed light on the origins of early written Germanic languages and who inscribed it.

The risk that an increasingly ominous asteroid dubbed 2024 YR4 will crash into Earth in seven years now exceeds the the threat once posed by Apophis.

New observations have dramatically reduced the chances of asteroid 2024 YR4 hitting Earth in 2032, lowering the risk to minimal levels, but its extraordinarily close approach will offer astronomers th

YR4 could strike Earth in 2032. Its size ranges from 40 to 90 meters. The asteroid could cause significant damage, especially to populated areas. The impact probability has decreased recently. NASA and the European Space Agency are monitoring it closely.